Hello. I have a question: Can I use DIRECTLY the voltage from the coils of a wind mill?
Off to Doha and Cairo | The Intersection
I’m at Dulles airport, about to board a plane to Doha, Qatar for the World Conference of Science Journalists. Then, a small group of us are going on to Egypt for a workshop on science journalism.
I’m not entirely sure how blogging will fare during all this–I return July 5. It may be easy and normal, or not so much.
I know Jon and Jamie will be pitching in, as always. Indeed, check out Jamie’s great fracking post (below), and look forward to more…
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How Do I Transform 110V To 130V
Hey all,
I have a 130v dc motor and I'm trying to hook it up to a 110/120v ac wall outlet. I'm aware that I will need a rectifier and from what I understand I will lose about 10% power from the rectifier. So I am trying to figure out how to bring the wattage back up from 108 to 130. I need this to
how do i get a 110/120v transfered to 140/150v?
Hey all,
I have a 130v dc motor and I'm trying to hook it up to a 110/120v ac wall outlet. I'm aware that I will need a rectifier and from what I understand I will lose about 10% power from the rectifier. So I am trying to figure out how to bring the wattage back up from 108 to 130. I need this to
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EPA Study Probably Won’t Prove That Fracking is Unsafe, Though It May Be | The Intersection
This is a guest post by Jamie L. Vernon, Ph.D., a research scientist and aspiring policy wonk, who recently moved to D.C. to get a taste of the action
Recently, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson stated that there is no evidence that the “fracking” process has lead to contamination of ground water. In response to a question from the U.S. House Oversight Committee, she said,
“I’m not aware of any proven case where the fracking process itself has affected water, although there are investigations ongoing.”
The term “fracking” refers to a process of extracting natural gas from wells drilled deep below the Earth’s surface. The technique is officially known as hydraulic fracturing and involves pumping a water-based fluid into a well under high pressure so as to cause the formation of cracks in deep rock layers. The cracks and the chemical ingredients in the fracture fluid facilitate more efficient extraction of the natural gas.
Critics of the process have made claims that hydraulic fracturing has contaminated aquifers and other water sources with ingredients from toxic fracking fluid in areas where natural gas drilling is occurring. A documentary entitled “Gas Land” recently sensationalized the story by showing scenes in which drinking water had become flammable. Here’s a famous scene from the movie:
The problem with the critics’ argument is there is insufficient evidence to prove that the contaminated water is indisputably due to fracking. The process has been used for many years and has not been scrutinized until recently. Despite the scrutiny, no one has carried out thorough investigations to determine whether the process is likely to lead to water contamination. Sure, there have been cases where it is suspected that the process has contaminated ground water. Indeed, I have blogged about it here at The Intersection, but with no analysis of the ground water prior to drilling, one cannot be sure that the contamination is directly caused by the fracking industry.
Personally, even though the evidence is sparse and inconclusive, I still believe the risks of contamination are too high for us to continue drilling for natural gas without significant oversight and regulation. A recent blowout in Bradford County, Pennsylvania has contaminated the immediate surrounding areas and three private wells with chemical-laced water. I feel strongly that fracking is unsafe as it is currently being carried out.
Fortunately, the Obama administration has made it a priority to take a look at the hydraulic fracturing industry. On Thursday, the EPA announcedthe seven natural gas drilling sites where it will conduct case studies. The investigations will look at the impact of hydraulic fracturing on local drinking water.
The sites include drilling in Haynesville Shale in DeSoto Parish, La., Marcellus Shale in Washington County, Bradford and Susquehanna, Pa., Bakken Shale in Kildeer and Dunn Counties, N.D., Barnett Shale in Wise and Denton Counties, TX, and Raton Basin in Las Animas County, Colo.
Here are my concerns about the EPA’s plan:
First, there is little or no evidence that the toxic ingredients in fracking fluid have contaminated drinking water directly from the below-ground wells. Dangerous chemicals like benzene and acrylamide are known to be part of the fracking mixture, but legislation has protected the industry under intellectual property rights from fully revealing the contents. Therefore, investigators have been unable to do proper testing for all the chemicals contained in the mixture. Regardless, it seems that the fracking fluid and, in fact, the fracking process is not the problem.
There are numerous physical arguments against the possibility that fracking fluid will find its way into drinking water during the hydraulic fracturing process. The pressures at those depths are so high it is unlikely the chemicals will be able to flow upward into the aquifer. Also, the permeability of the shale is so low it seems unlikely the chemicals will penetrate the rock. Of course, there is the possibility that the cracks created by the process could connect with natural cracks in the rock formations leading to a direct connection between the well and the aquifer, but this is statistically unlikely. My point is that if the EPA focuses on the fracking process alone it is unlikely that they will find a connection between drilling and contamination at the 7 selected sites.
As described in the PNAS paper, the problem of contamination is most likely due to leaky gas-wells, not the hydraulic fracturing itself. The EPA investigators will need to look at the wells as well as the fracking process. However, because the sites have been announced ahead of time, the drillers can take special precautions to ensure high quality wells are drilled and that the concrete is poured properly so as to avoid any leaks or spills. If so, investigators may not find any contamination.
Second, there are millions of natural gas wells across the country. Very few of them have been linked to any contamination. Statistically, for the EPA to choose only 7 wells, I believe it is highly unlikely they will find a correlation between drilling and contamination.
For me, the issue of water contamination due to the fracking process is not simply a yes or no question. It is a matter of risk. We must ask ourselves if we are willing to risk the possibility of water contamination occurring in our neighborhood. Given that few of the natural gas sites across the country have caused contamination, I think it is unlikely that the EPA study will demonstrate a direct correlation between hydraulic fracturing and water contamination. If this is the case, this study will do more harm than good by providing evidence, albeit faulty, for the gas industry to argue that fracking is safe. The real question is whether you are willing to take the risk of having undrinkable water. Are you?
I guess we can be thankful that the fracking process as it is being done today is very different from the plowsharing process proposed in the 70′s.
Let’s keep our eyes on this study and hope that it yields the results we need.
Follow Jamie Vernon on Twitter or read his occasional posts at his personal blog, “American SciCo.”
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Vagabond Explorer Magazine Unleashed!
Road to Nowhere in Particular, Photo by Gretchen Wilson-Kalav
What do you say when someone contacts you, plies you with flattering comments and asks you to be part of something quite unique?
My response was ‘I’ll think about it. I’ll think about it more. I’ll think about it a lot more. I’ll ask very key questions and then – -you got it – I’ll think about it even more’. Ultimately, the answer became obvious and I answered with a ‘yes’. Granted, flattery rarely hurts but it also rarely plays into my final decisions about participating in any particular project. As I just mentioned to someone else recently, give me a good reason to do something and you win. Give me bullshit and you lose. With that said…
Image Courtesy of Vagabond Explorer
Wade Shepard of Vagabond Journey has just unleashed Vagabond Explorer Magazine.
Yes, he used flattery in his request but also gave me several very good reasons why I should become a contributor, reviewing travel blogs I consider worthy of recognition. My real life job is reading travel blogs daily and there are an amazing number out there just ripe for the choosing. Just so you know, the magazine will be available on a quarterly basis as a PDF download. (FYI, four to five blogs/sites will be reviewed in each release.) It also comes with a very small price tag of $5.00 USD per issue.
Vagabond Explorer is a mix of articles, photography, commentary, tips/tricks and a whole plethora of other travel information. The concept: Be the explorer – whether it’s from your armchair or while you are on the road. Each contributor hails from their own original location and their own ‘space in time’. But, each has chosen to venture out and explore the world around them one way or another. (Okay, I’m the only one with 2-3 weeks vacation time while the rest live their lives moving across borders regularly. I believe in vicarious travel though only out of current necessity. I’m also very jealous.) Regardless, Vagabond Explorer will rival any other travel magazine available and will spur you to become your own navigator to places unknown. Again, with all that said, let me introduce you to the contributors who have already been coined as VE’s Posse:
Wade Shepard
Wade Shepard
Vagabond Journey: Editor and the man behind the concept curtain – handing out hearts, brains, courage and a way home. Okay, make that a way to travel. He is the Wizard of VE’s Oz. (Sorry Toto, it’s doggy daycare for you while everyone travels.) Only time will tell what is really in that ‘bag of special things’.
Craig Heinburger
Travelvice: The artistically creative man behind the visuals. We thank him for his designs, graphics and cover work. (I think he had something to do with the ‘horse of many colors’ and suggested using the powdered Jello™ for those scenes. If you don’t get the reference, check out your movie history about the Emerald City.)
Dave
Dave
The Longest Way Home: The ‘Tin Man’ who expresses his opinions through his startling photography and poignant commentaries. He may be ‘stuck’ in his travels once in awhile, but someone always comes along with an oilcan to set him free. Just ignore the squeaking. I know the oilcan is here somewhere…
Jasmine Stephenson
Jasmine Wanders: Jasmine, to me, is Vagabond Explorer’s Glinda. Having worked with her in the past, I picture her helping all the ‘Munchkins’ and making the world a much better place. (I, by no means, use Munchkins in a negative way. Jasmine works diligently to improve the lives of those who are less fortunate than us. We must get her a wand.)
Sam Langley
Cubicle Ditcher: Sorry Sam, I was just introduced to you recently via Vagabond Explorer. But, from what I have read on Sam’s site, I believe people should check it out, as it’s great stuff! Anyone able to leave the 9-5 daily grind for travel has my support. If you have no objections, I will say you are the Scarecrow who left the corporate cornfields for much greener pastures.
Michael Robert Powell
The Candy Trail: Michael is Vagabond Explorer’s lion who received the gift of courage somewhere around 1988. Through his nomadic travels, he has encountered some very unusual situations and has lived to tell the (true) tales to us all. Some of his writings may come with an ‘age appropriate’ warning at times, but don’t shy away from them as they are well worth the read.
Ani St. Amand
Ani St. Amand
Vagabond Journey/Explorer Contributor: Ani’s yellow brick road is paved with wood and steel. In other words, she follows the path of the iron horses as she rides the rails all around the world. She has been described as a modern day hobo who has a love of trains and hopping those freighters while they make their scheduled stops. So, wave at the next train that passes by because Ani may just wave back.
Steven Mendoza
Vagabond Journey/Explorer Contributor: Steven is definitely not in Kansas anymore. (I’m not sure if Steven has ever been in Kansas but he does hail from the Untied States.) I do know he has spent many years in Japan and most recently survived the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Though he has now returned to his home country, Steven’s (first) article is a reminder to us all that the earth and its inhabitants don’t always play fair.
Gretchen Wilson-Kalav
TravelBlogs: I guess I’m Dorothy when it comes to this project. Yes, Dorothy did travel from Kansas to Oz and back. (Been to Kansas.) But, her journey was also just a dream. While the above-mentioned contributors write about their own experiences, I will be telling you about other travelers and their experiences. I’ll be the one performing Toto’s doggy daycare while seeking out the emeralds hidden within the city of travel blogs.
Vagabond Explorer is available as a PDF download for the small price of $5.00 USD per issue. Click Here and Order Now!
© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2011. |
Vagabond Explorer Magazine Unleashed! |
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Post tags: cultural experiences, living abroad, long-term travel, solo travel, travel advise, travel magazine, travel with kids, travel writing
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